


Honour

by achievingelysium_archive (achievingelysium)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Archived from FFN, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-12
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:28:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achievingelysium/pseuds/achievingelysium_archive
Summary: Frank thinks about his mom.
Relationships: Emily Zhang & Frank Zhang
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Honour

He remembered all the times she'd done something for him.

He saw her in small memories, memories of going to the movies, taking walks in the surrounding woods, stories of his ancestors, holidays, playing (and failing) mah-jong, laughter ringing out as he was unmercifully tickled. Memories consisted of little moments, precious as gold. Moments of things long ago. Some things warm. Memories were things that made you laugh; things that made you feel sad.

They were things never forgotten, and when forgotten, always could be brought back. His mother, dancing around a fire with her friends, playing at the sandy beach, Li Jien and silly tales, a science experiment gone wrong, singing along to the words of a beloved song, vacations, and being picked up after school by _her,_ and sitting in the attic, and lighting candles, and whispering prayers, and smiling for the camera, and _everything._

He saw himself. age 8. "Mommy?" he'd asked, "Why?" when she was going to leave to serve in Iran.

"Fai," she'd smiled sadly. "I want to serve my country. I want to help others. And, well.." she had paused. "I met your father on the field. I go in memory of him. In honour."

And he got it. Honour. That was the one word that zinged. When he was 9, she let him fire her crossbow. He was a natural.

"Good job!" she had beamed when he got a bulls-eye. Before she _left_ again, she gave him her bow."Honour." was all she said.

He remembered the last time they'd seen each other. "Mommy."

"Fai,oh Fai. Dear Frank. Dear baby."

"Mom...I love you."

"I love you too Frank, I love you too."

"Frank...if I-"

"You won't." His answer was firm.

"No, I could. I might. Just promise me you'll do something to honour me the day I die."

She kissed his cheek. And that was that. January 18. The day he heard the knock. Grandmother told him to get it, and he obeyed. There stood the Admiral. his cap was in one hand, a medal in the other.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, running his thumb over inscriptions in the metal. He handed the medal to Frank. "She saved me... a true hero." Frank thought he saw tear tracks on his grimy face before he shut the door.

So much for honour. A medal for a life? Not fair. He accepted it anyway.

He wore a red poppy for her. Her favorite flower, every year on January 18 and on Veteran's day.

He remembered asking Reyna. He stepped into the _principia._

"Reyna?" She sat at her desk, with 2 stacks of papers. One for herself, the other for the missing praetor. Jason Grace.

She looked up."Yes?"

He swallowed." I-Can I wear something pinned to my clothes? And armor?"

"What is the thing?" He showed her the poppy. "For Veteran's Day. For my mom."

She nodded.

"You may go." He turned around to leave. "Wait."

He whirled around surprised. "Get me one. For my dad..and for Jason."

He grinned, "Sure." And he wore it proudly. He also got a tattoo of a dragon. Her favourite animal. Everything he did on her day and veteran's day was in honour of Emily Zhang.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally posted on FFN, and is being archived on AO3. General disclaimer: my old writing does not always reflect my current opinions or skills.
> 
> Originally written on: Nov 12, 2012.  
> To be backdated.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
